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jalshakti, a granular, free-flowing, organic product designed to improve plant-water relationship is a novel super absorbent polymer with an amazing ability to absorb and retain water about 150-200 times its weight. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, its properties do not vary between the temperature range of 20-70 c and has no adverse effects on the crop or on the soil ( Farmer and Parliament , Vol 31, No 8).
Jalshakti can be used in agriculture as a soil-additive, as a seed-coating material and during transplantation. It ensures faster seed germination, earlier emergence, improved stand and greater yield. This organic product also improves the quality of soil, sand or any synthetic growing medium by increasing both their water relationship and aeration. This helps in reducing the frequency of irrigation. The experiments conducted on mango trees at Malvan, Maharashtra, showed that over a period of five months, a dosage of one per cent Jalshakti was adequate to reduce the number of irrigations from 23 to 11.
Moreover, field trials have shown that Jalshakti assists in producing plant roots of greater vigour and that it also helps retain moisture on seeds during transplantation period as a soil-additive. The required quantity of Jalshakti is added to the soil at a depth of four to six inches in the root zone, prior to planting or seeding each year. This can also be mixed with farmyard manure and spread uniformly in the nursery bed and mixed with the top layer of humus. Use of Jalshakti in the root zone helps in better utilisation of viable water.
As a soil-additive, it helps increase the yield by 10 to 40 per cent in cereals, pulses and oilseeds. In field trials on tomato, the yield increase was in the range of 15 to 70 per cent, depending on the soil. Treatment of roots of vegetables, trees and seedlings with Jalshakti before transplantation helps prevent roots from drying. This is done by mixing Jalshakti powder with water to prepare a stable gel in which the roots of seedlings can be dipped before their transplantation. It also reduces wilting, prevents transplant shock and increases plant survival by decreasing the recovery time.
Apart from its use in agriculture, Jalshakti can play a significant role in wasteland development. It is especially useful in nurseries which supply saplings. Presently, the saplings are supplied mainly through the forest departments and voluntary organisations and have to be transported over long distances. If Jalshakti is applied to bare roots before transportation, it increases sapling life.
The new product can have a significant impact in horticulture, dry-land farming and forestry where optimum utilisation plays a crucial role. A semi-commercial plant has now been set up by Indian Organic Chemicals, Mumbai, to produce 200 tonnes of Jalshakti per annum. It would cost about Rs 750 per kilogram.